I played this game quite a bit a fair while ago, but have been off doing other things. On coming back to it, nothing I used to know about the build/unlock order seems to work any more, nor can I find anything within the game about it. I'm now on the point of racing to see whether thirst or starvation will be first to kill me, because I can't build a FAD,a bio generator to power it, nor the distributor to connect them.

I remember the build list as depicting locked tech as ghosted, with a text telling you what you had to build first to unlock them. Gotta say, i very much prefer my remembered version.

FAD, Bio Generator and Switchboard unlock by building the Compact 3D Printer. Finish Side Objective "Printer 2.0" then build a Compact 3D Printer.
Or go to the nearby Man-made Wreck and scan one.

There's a wreck? Huh - haven't spotted that yet.

Thanks for the pointer!

the first wreck is marked as a "rocketship" on your HUD and the map. the log has many objectives. I'd strip that ship ASP the easiest way to get a free ride too!